By Emegwoako C. Paschal
Hon. Chima Obieze, a member of the Enugu State House of Assembly, has made a passionate case for ending the protracted strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, (ASUU), as the strike enters its eighth month.
In order to learn how his constituents, who are ASUU and Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) members, were adjusting to the effects of the ongoing strike, he made the call yesterd
The lawmaker representing the Ezeagu constituency in the Enugu State Assembly, yesterday, Sunday, October 2nd, presented the sum of N1 million in palliative to the members of the two staff unions of the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN), to cushion the effect of the strike.
He added that the protracted strike was severely harming students, and university employees, and was destroying the university system. He urged the federal government and ASUU to quickly resolve their differences and come to an amicable resolution of the impasse without further delay.
In order to save the future of education and Nigerian youths, Obieze urged all stakeholders in the sector to “push for total reform and overhaul of the sector.” He also said the time was right to start a comprehensive intervention.
However, the state lawmaker emphasized that the government cannot address all issues in the education sector on its own, calling for the involvement of all well-meaning, patriotic Nigerians and people who value education as much as he does.
The most senior lecturer at UNN from Ezeagu and the head of the legislator’s constituent UNN workers, Prof. S.N. Machebe, praised Obieze for his thoughtful act and concern for his constituents in the ivory tower during a trying time.
It was noted that with leaders like Obieze, there was hope that the Ezeagu constituency would soon overcome its difficulties in both infrastructure and manpower development. He described the lawmaker’s accomplishments as truly “mind-blowing.”
